Ruth Marion Arthurs Ford, 78, of Mellette, SD, died April 29, 2008 at the Rapid City Regional Hospital in Rapid City, SD. Her funeral will be Saturday, May 3, 2008 at 11:00 a.m. at the Northwestern United Methodist Church in Mellette, SD. Reverend Jon Damaska will officiate. Burial will be in the Mellette Cemetery. Visitation will be Friday from 1-8:00 p.m. with a prayer service at 7:00 p.m. at Thelen Funeral Home in Redfield. www.thelenfuneralhome.com

Ruth was born February 26, 1930 in Mellette to James and Josephine (Wendt) Arthurs. She grew up and attended school in Mellette. Ruth married Donald Ford on September 5, 1946 in Webster, SD. They have lived on their farm in rural Mellette for sixty-one years.

Ruth was a member of the Northwestern United Methodist Church and the Rebekah Lodge. She enjoyed embroidering special gifts for her family and enjoyed fishing, camping and traveling with Don. Ruth and Don enjoyed spending the winters in South Padre Island, TX with their friends for over twenty years. Ruth especially enjoyed spending time with her children, grandchildren, great grandchildren and great-great grandchildren.

Blessed for having shared in Ruth's life are her husband Donald Ford of Mellette; her children: Jerry Ford of Redfield; Raymond (Dianne) Ford of Aberdeen, SD; Sharon (Ray) Abbot of Loveland, CO; Sheila (Tim) Odland of Redfield; and Terry "Doc" Ford of Mellette; ten grandchildren: Mike, Wes, Scott and Jeff Ford, Clayton and Timmy Odland, Tonya Croeni, Lori Morrill, Lesa Bauman and Rita Bender, nineteen great grandchildren and two great-great grandchildren. She is also survived by two brothers: Don (June) Arthurs of Redfield; and Bill (Betty) Arthurs of Mellette; and four sisters: Ellen Allbee of Redfield; Irene Bye of Aberdeen; Doris Little of Groton, SD; and Inez Fink of Redfield.

She was preceded in death by her parents, one son Wesley, her daughter-in-law, Char Ford, two brothers: Lawrence and Howard Arthurs and two sisters: Lucille Zerbel and Alberta Ross.